German Chancellor Angela Merkel joined thousands who marched to condemn the terrorist attacks in Paris, promote tolerance and send a rebuke to a growing anti-Islamic movement today.

The chancellor was among the marchers at a Muslim community rally today, a day after a record 25,000 people attended a right-wing protest.

The German Chancellor said: 'Hatred, racism and extremism have no place in this country. We are a country based on democracy, tolerance and openness to the world.'

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German President Joachim Gauck (centre) gives a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin at a Muslim community rally today

Vigil: Thousands of people, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel turned out to condemn the terrorist attacks in Paris, promote tolerance and send a rebuke to a growing anti-Islamic movement

(l-r) German President Joachim Gauck, chairman of the Central Committee of Muslims in Germany Aiman Mazyek, and Chancellor Angela Merkel at the vigil

President Joachim Gauck addressed the event at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, organised by the Central Council of Muslims under the banner 'Let's be there for each other. Terror: not in our name!'

Imams recited Koranic verses, including a passage that condemns the taking of life, and this was followed by speeches given by Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious leaders and a minute's silence.

Announcing the vigil, the Muslim Council and the Turkish Community of Berlin had condemned 'the despicable terror attacks in France in the strongest terms' and stressed that 'there is no justification in Islam for such acts'.

With a view to a nascent anti-Islamic movement, they said they wanted 'to send a message for peace and tolerance, against hatred and violence and for a cosmopolitan Germany which respects and protects the freedom of expression and religion'.

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The rallies are in response to last week's terrorist attacks in Paris which shocked the world.

Last night, tens of thousands of people joined the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West, or PEGIDA, rally in the city of Dresden in the former communist east Germany.

The right-wing movement was founded on Facebook and launched with several hundred people in October. It has grown week-by-week and spawned smaller copycat groups nationwide, with the group's 12th march held last night.

But across the country, 100,000 people took to the streets in counter-demonstrations on Monday, voicing support for multiculturalism and Germany's four-million-strong Muslim community.

Je suis Charlie: Marchers carrying banners turned out in their thousands in Berlin following a right-wing march last night

Aydan Oezogus of the Social Democratic Party (left) and German Family Minister Manuela Schwesig (right) pay their respects

Chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, Aiman Mazyek (left) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (right) were among thousands at a Muslim community rally, less than 24 hours after a record 25,000 people attended a right-wing protest

Merkel, who is often known to avoid controversial issues, has weighed in strongly, condemning PEGIDA's leaders and stressing on Monday that 'Islam is part of Germany'.

Representatives of Germany's Green party (l-r) Anton Hofreiter, Katrin Goering-Eckardt and Simone Peter lay a wreath in front of the French embassy in Berlin

Her comments were broadly hailed in the media, but not everyone agreed.

'But the question is knowing what constitutes the identity of a country, and in Germany it is a Christian identity built on Judeo-Christian roots.'

Commentary on news site Spiegel Online meanwhile praised Merkel for speaking out against PEGIDA, at the risk of losing voters at the fringes of her conservative party.

'The chancellor is not playing tactical games but in her New Year's address placed herself at the forefront of the anti-PEGIDA movement,' it said, after Merkel condemned the group's leaders as having 'prejudice, coldness, even hatred in their hearts'.

Bild, Germany's top-selling daily, said the Paris attacks seemed to have shaken the usually unflappable Merkel, a pastor's daughter who grew up in the communist east.

'She has two issues where, when she speaks, she doesn't sound like she is simply droning on with platitudes: religion and freedom,' it said, noting the rare public signs of emotion she showed with Hollande at Sunday's solidarity march.

'She knows that gestures are now necessary... it is about freedom and protection from a terrorist war.'

On Sunday, Merkel joined French President Francois Hollande and other world leaders at a huge Paris solidarity rally.

At the right-wing protest on Monday, one placard depicted German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who had spoken out against the protests, wearing a headscarf

Memorials: A blood-stained banner bore the faces of the cartoonists and contributors murdered in the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris at the 12th PEGIDA rally